First Run of Cornish Cross Meat Birds and Super Excited!

[duluthralphie]

Well...... beings baby frogs are out this year, I am going to try a couple batches again.


I want one processed in mid-june. which means I will need them in April. I am going to raise this batch semi-fast. I will grab a few birds from this flock to slow grow too.....OR


I might get one large batch and slow raise them all, those that grow fastest I would process in June, at around 4-5 pounds each. Keeping the rest until Sept for some 10-12 pound birds.


We have really enjoyed roasting the big birds and feasting on them. They are so juicy and substantial and tasty. We get a meal, then left overs,, then sandwiches, then stew or soup!

We had 12 pounders for thanksgiving and xmas with extended family here and it was the favorite over turkey and ham.....


BTW I can't wait until we start seeing pictures of everyone's chubbies!

 

[Dandelioness]

Is Bert unable to mount the Rainbows & the white rock? I know the offspring wouldn't be REAL frogs, but maybe you could try for toads.

I'm going to be doing pastured Cornish X again this year to sell. Pasturing them has helped a lot, but I will try a more controlled feeding program rather than doing it free choice. I am hoping I'll have a few packing peanuts leftover to keep as well. The larger, strong-legged ones. I will keep a couple photos of Bert for my personal SOP.

Our personal table is mainly going to be graced with capons, I hope.

I will probably get a CX batch sent out in mid may, and another mid to late June. I have a baby coming in early June, so butchering at that time is out of the question.

It's time to start taking orders already!!

 

[duluthralphie]

It is funny you mention this....


BERT tried to become a man today..... I et him out of his coop and he hopped down the 5 inch step and waddled over to, what he thought must have been a cute, black sex link hen, grabbed her behind the neck and crawled up on her. I was impressed, I had never seen him mount a hen before.......


But alas it was short lived, Ernie was not impressed, he ran over and pulled Bert off the hen, a little fight ensued and Bert just gave up, then Ernie did that strange ruffed grouse mating dance in front of the hen...

So I think I will gets some toads for sure this year. If Bert stays healthy. I am not sure if I will free range or just give the CX's a big covered pen. I have been stocking up on bird netting so I can cover some pretty good size pens. I think my biggest net is 50x150 ft.

 

[mountain mom]

Lovely Roos you have there Ralph! So handsome. I bet you will have some toads for sure. And I bet they will be awesome! Your rainbows and Ernie will be a great match.

I am planning on getting my chubbies mid-April. I want to be able to process end of June or beginning of July. I really want to slow grow them again. They will be able to free range for quite a while, then as they get bigger, they will be in a sectioned off area of the yard where their "coop" is. I would free range them the whole time, but when it is feeding time, the Gals are really hard to separate out. And you all know how dangerous it is to miss a beat while feeding meatballs.

I also really want to get some Orloff chicks. And of course the Legbars that cost more than gold at the feed store. I really hope they can't sell them and I get them at a more reasonable price. I am starting to worry about my coop space though. I don't know how many more ladies can be comfortably sustained. In the nice weather, I have no worries. It is when it is cold and they won't leave. There are a few injuries to combs out there, and I know it is out of boredom from when they would not go outside.

Speaking of injuries... I finally figured out what happened to Kokanee's toe. Which by the way is a mangled mess. But it somehow never got infected, or if it did, the infection didn't spread. Nor did it ever seem to bother her. Anyhow, yesterday I saw one of the hens pin her down, hold her head in the ground, then grab her by the neck and shake her. She was trying to kill her, I think. Kokanee was not trying to fight back, and certainly knows her place in the pecking order and has never tried to push anyone around. So I am guessing the toe was caught in a beak in the middle of a "scuffle" Their beaks can sure cause some damage if they want them to .

The offending hen seems to be upset about losing her brief place as top chicken. When the top lady molted, she was really docile. The other gal jumped right in and started pushing everyone else around. Jumper took back her crown when she was done molting. Now I think Keadis is acting out. We will have to see what transpires.

 

[duluthralphie]

MM. It can sure seem cruel the way chickens treat each other. It truly is survival of the fittest.

I breaks my heart, cause I a softy in my core being, to see one of the bottom rung birds get picked on or chased or whatever.


I got two eggs the first two days from my CL and have not gotten any since, I assume the move has them messed up and they will start laying again.

I made some changes to the interior of their coop yesterday, hopefully that will help too.

I had the nest boxes at the very top of the coop, but the rooster liked sitting in them., so I moved them halfway down and put a roost on the top for the rooster.

 

[mountain mom]

My softie tendencies made me chase the meanie off and scold her and tell her how disappointed I am in her. They can be so cruel though, that is true.

I bet your Prized Possessions will start laying when they feel all settled in. Funny how sensitive they are to everything.

I am headed into town now to place my meatball order. And to see about the diamond encrusted birds.

 

[JessicaThistle]

Aaahhh! There it is. The chicken conversation I was missing!

So, I'm afraid that I really don't think I will be able to do meaties this year. With the addition of the egg business and still a long road ahead with getting it all moved and running in tip top shape, we think raising them is just out of the question. Since I like to raise them in a time consuming way and I don't have any more time to consume, it makes sense to take this year off. Luckily our freezer is still quite full of lovely chickens.

So I plan to live vicariously through you all this year. Post away all of your cx pics and stories. I don't want to miss a thing!!

 

[dpenning]

I'm going to try it this year Jessica and it is all your fault! I have to work out the timing though, I need to add 3 girls to my laying flock and get them integrated then I can start on the meaties. It looks like we are going to move to our country place full time sooner rather than later which will make this possible. The meaties will probably not be until late summer early fall. We take our annual vacation at the end of July so will schedule them to arrive after we get home. Do you think that will be too late? It doesn't get really cold here until October so I think I should be able to squeeze in a batch before winter.

 

[holm25]

We are going to do 250-300 Rainbow Rangers this year. We were not that impressed with the CornishX. They made a mess and were SO fatty. Hoping these birds will do more foraging than sleeping. Another reason is CornishX would get killed by the cows since they cannot run.

 

[KCMOLisa]

dpenning - You will have plenty of time in the fall. I got mine in the beginning of September last year (processed right before Halloween) and it was perfect timing. It was hot when they were little and cooler when they got bigger. They really don't like anything over 80 degrees once they're past about 4 weeks.

I was thinking of doing a spring batch and fall batch, but I still have plenty from last fall and I'm trying to get my garden up and running, so I think I'm just going to do a fall batch again. I can't decide if I should do 25 again or 50 this time. I'm leaning towards 25 since that was a manageable number to have underfoot all the time and to pluck by hand. If we do 50, I definitely need a plucker.